Confirming Carter Bk. 02 Daedalus Ch. 08

Tammy came in with Geraan and Phinnar, and sat down beside her. "Are you okay, Sam? Do we need to go?"

"No, I'm fine. It's the damn korathis. It makes me so emotional." She looked at the Travelers. "I had a bad reaction to the Athosian herb, korathis. It affected my DNA, and my brain."

Samuels came into the room and saw what was happening. She came over and sat next to Carter. She looked over at the Travelers. "Sam's reaction to korathis has enhanced her, physically, and mentally. We're still studying the long term effects."

"Thank you, Andi. You just scared the shit out of them, and erased all the goodwill we had built up with that little tidbit of information." Carter said with a laugh.

"No harm has come to the goodwill we are building." Arrin said. "The fact that you shared your true goals, not only swayed me, but helps me understand the power you have over people. I can see now why they follow you so willingly."

He turned to Samuels. "We've been speaking of dreams, Dr. Samuels. Samantha has told us of her history, and what she hopes to accomplish here in our galaxy."

"Then you've changed your mind? You wish to proceed with allowing our people to live and work in the ancient cities?" Waleen asked him.

"As part of helping to build the galaxy, to make it safer, and find a better life for our people? Yes." Arrin said, looking at Carter. "But you know that we will need more allies. The Athosians are too few, and too scattered. We can help bring in the ally we must have."

Carter nodded. "We've reached out to the major races, and as word spreads about what we're doing, some will join us. We're already asking people on worlds with small populations to join us in Atlantis and here, which is why we can't take more of your people. Your people can protect yourselves, we need to look at taking in those that can't."

"As far as the Genii are concerned, I would prefer that we build and grow before we approach them." Carter said, leaning back and taking Tammy's hand. "I think if we already have our cities producing, and are distributing goods throughout the galaxy, they will see the benefits others are enjoying, and come to us on their own."

"We can show you what we have in mind, and provide details if you'd like." Samuels said. "Producing goods is only the first step. As we progress..."

"We're passed that, Andi." Carter said. She turned and looked at Arrin. "And we're making progress."

He nodded, signaling for her to continue.

"Having some of your people settled, gives you room for growth, but also frees up space on your ships for cargo, and frees up your warships to fight alongside ours."

"Then you will continue to fight the Wraith?" Pharris asked.

"It has to be done." Carter sighed. "We'll equip other planets gates with shields as we can, but the threat from space has to be dealt with. It doesn't do any good to build something when it is easily destroyed."

"We need help with the warships." Larrin said. "If Sheppard had..."

"Larrin!" Carter laughed. "You kidnapped him and held him hostage...don't act surprised that he wasn't eager to help you!" She glanced at Tammy and smiled. "But we can help you with them if you like. The Aurora class uses ZPM's, we can supply you with those, as well as drones. Once your people are treated with the gene therapy, we can teach them ancient so they can operate the ships more easily."

She looked over at Arrin. "This is how I show my trust, Arrin. I'm offering to help you power, man, and arm one of the most powerful weapons platforms ever made. What your people do with it is up to you."

Tammy stood up and grabbed the reins on Geraan and Phinnar's harnesses. "All this is well and good, and we can continue if you like, but I need to find these two something to eat." She looked over at Samuels. "Do we have to go home to get something to eat, Andi, or can we..."

"The mess is open, we can eat there. I had actually planned on this tour taking right at two hours, then going back to Atlantis for lunch." Samuels said.

"That sounds like an excellent idea. We can see more later, and details can be worked out over time." Arrin said as he stood up. "There was a dish last night, there were meats with a thick..."

Carter, Tammy, Pharris and Waleen burst out laughing, and Arrin looked at them.

"Yes, we can have bacon cheeseburgers, Arrin." Carter laughed. "Andi, call ahead, but let's do this at home. The dining room is fine, but I want to be able to relax while we talk more."

Interior-Kitchen

1430 Hours

"Pharris said that you cooked this morning." Arrin said to Tammy as she came into the kitchen.

"Yes, just a basic breakfast. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy." She said as she got a glass and filled it with water. "We prefer to do for ourselves when we can. There's a staff to take care of the house, and we can order food if we want, but we both like doing for ourselves." She reached over and took Sam's hand. "Or maybe I should say, she likes me to take care of her."

"It is your job." Sam said. "What did you do with the boys?"

"I parked them in the small bedroom with a video. Ronin is with them." Tammy laughed. "I think he likes Bugs Bunny!"

"The foods you have are amazing." Arrin said as he picked up his sandwich. "Not just the quantity, but the variety."

"Yes, what we had last night was a only tiny sample of the foods of Earth." Tammy said. "Once we get things worked out with them, I want to begin importing foodstuffs from there. Not just premade items, but cattle for beef, that's what the burgers are made out of, pigs for pork, that's the bacon, but both offer other cuts of meat as well. Then there are grains, like wheat and rice, that will grow on many of the worlds here."

"So in addition to what you want to do with the ancient cities, you have other plans for this galaxy?" Waleen asked.

"Yes." Tammy said, picking up a fry. "Getting people fed is the first, most important goal. Half the mainland on this planet is tillable soil. I plan on setting up farms with Earth grains and livestock. Mainly because I prefer them, but for export as well. Some of them will produce almost immediately, but some crops, like oranges, apples, and rice will take a few years before we get our first harvests. The livestock will take several years to build up usable herds as well."

"In the long term, we want to improve the infrastructure on many worlds." Carter said as she leaned back in her chair. "That means building roads, sewers for waste disposal, power plants, and with the ancients technology, that will be cheaper and cleaner than what they use on Earth."

"Your people have electricity and plumbing, but both are actually fairly rare in Pegasus. That's mainly due to the cullings that keep civilizations from developing, but we're going to address that problem as we need to."

"Our people on the worlds we've been forced to settle do not." Waleen told her. "We can work the technology on our ships, but our planet bound people live as many others in the galaxy do."

"Andi, would you have Zelenka bring over a naquadah generator, and one of the ancient power boxes?" Carter said, looking down the table at her. She turned to Waleen. "We have a small power source that is safe, can be set up quickly, and will run a small city indefinitely. We brought them from the Milky Way, but we can make them here. They're Goa'uld technology. Then there's an ancient device that we can operate, but we're still trying to figure out how it works. We'll distribute both as we get geared up, and have the manpower to support the network. There are other technologies we can put in place as well, but the details still need to be worked out on them."

"So no matter what our people do, you will progress with these other plans?" Pharris asked.

"Yes. Not to make light of your importance, because you are a big part of what we want to accomplish, but it's a big galaxy, and there's a lot to do." Carter replied.

"But there are so few of you. How do you hope to accomplish everything you speak of?" Waleen asked. "It seems an impossible task."

"Difficult, but not impossible." Carter told him. "And we know that it's going to take years, but we're willing to wait to see progress. We're talking to you, we've brought people in from half a dozen worlds already, and when we get things worked out with Earth, we'll bring in people from there."

She paused when she saw Arrin frown. Waleen had a look of concern on his face as well.

"I'm not talking huge numbers, I won't allow that. There's room in the Milky Way if humanity wants to expand off of Earth." She told them. "But there are skills that we need that we can't get anywhere else right now. We need doctors, engineers to layout and design the infrastructures, skilled workers like electricians and plumbers to train others on how to build and support those infrastructures."

"You assume that everyone will want these things you wish to do." Pharris said.

"Most will. And be honest, if given a choice between using candles, or an electric light, an outhouse, or a toilet in a warm, clean room inside your house, which would you choose?"

"She has a point." Arrin said, looking at Pharris. "I do not wish to live as our planet bound brothers do. I am too accustomed to the comforts that we enjoy, even take for granted. I want these things for our people, so to deny others..."

"As we have with you, we'd only offer to assist." Tammy said. "We don't have the right to tell people how to live, but we do have the responsibility to help those that want change. The only time we would impose our will on anyone is to prevent them from doing harm to others."

"And you believe that you have the right to do that?" Larrin asked her.

"Yes." Tammy said, looking at her. "You agree that we should stop the Wraith from culling, and feeding on the worlds in Pegasus. How is it different allowing other races, you for instance, or the Genii, from preying on their neighbors because they are less advanced, or have something that they desire?"

"There is a difference, but I see your point." Larrin nodded. "But while we're talking about the Wraith, what are your plans for them?"

"We really don't have any." Carter told her. She looked around the table. "An opportunity presented itself that we were in a position to take advantage of, so we did." She sighed as she looked at Tammy, then back at Larrin. "And you were right, Larrin, we got lucky. We could have lost both those ships, or any number of things could have gone wrong. Sheppard and Caldwell have some ideas, but for right now, we're going to wait and see what the Wraith do. We really can't do anything else."

"I think that's a mistake." Larrin said. "They have to be reeling. The time to hit them is now."

"With what Larrin?" Carter asked. "We have two ships, and a hundred fighters. What can you bring to the fight? If we started today, it would take weeks to train enough people to get your warships ready for battle." She paused, then asked, "Do you know where the Wraith are? The last I heard, they were spread across the galaxy."

"We're not going to sit idly by forever, Larrin. But we do need to see what the reaction to this assault is going to be. Like I said, my people have ideas, and we'll put them into action when the time is right."

"You keep making sense, and I have to keep agreeing with you." Larrin smiled. "I don't have to like it though."

"I have an idea that may make it easier to track the Wraith, or at least know where they are from time to time." Sheppard said from the doorway.

"John, I didn't know you were here." Carter said.

"I've been in with the boys and Ronin. I have a soft spot for Looney Tunes. Elmer Fudd is my hero." He laughed. "But a couple of years ago, McKay and I got in trouble playing with an ancient simulation, we thought it was a game. It turned out that the system communicated with the local inhabitants, and we were giving them instructions, and affecting their development."

"I remember that." Tammy said. "Dr. Weir was pissed about it. You guys almost started a war on that planet."

Sheppard nodded. "Not one of the high points of my stay here in Atlantis. But the system is satellite based, and there are hundreds of them scattered around the galaxy. We could use them to monitor when those planets are being culled. If we have too, we could probably move some, or place new ones."

"How would that help with the Wraith problem?" Waleen asked. "Just knowing which worlds are being culled does you no good, does it?"

"It can." Sheppard said. "A culling can go on for several hours, we've heard of hives staying for days over the same world. With a monitoring system in place, we could send a ship, and see what we could do to help. If we came in cloaked, we could blow them out of the sky before they knew what hit them."

"What good does destroying one hive at a time do?" Larrin asked.

"Quite a bit actually." Samuels said, leaning forward on the couch. "They may not notice immediately, but they will eventually. Then the psychological effects begin to work for us. The Wraith are already having trouble feeding because of the distribution of the Hoffen drug. Thousands died because of that, but it made the survivors deadly to the Wraith. We have to wait and see if their children will carry the effect. If they do, they should be encouraged to breed freely across the galaxy."

"But when we add in the sudden, mysterious disappearance of hives culling seemingly defenseless worlds, they could begin to fear to feed even more. Not knowing which worlds have been poisoned by the Hoffen drug, or which may result in the loss of their ships will have a tremendous impact on them."

"What could we expect them to do, Andi?" Carter asked.

"There's too many variables, and I just don't have enough information about the Wraith themselves to give you a good answer." Samuels said. "My guess would be that their initial reaction would be to lash out, probably at us, as the most likely suspects. That's one of the best case scenarios. Or they could begin fighting among themselves, another best case scenario."

She paused and looked around the room. "Other possibilities aren't as pleasant. They could lash out everywhere, going on a rampage, taking what they can, destroying what they can't. My nightmare scenario, is they do mass cullings, taking entire populations that they know to be clean of the Hoffen drug. Then they go to ground, starting farms of humans to feed on."

"Jezzus, Andi." Tammy whispered. "How do you sleep at night, with shit like that running through your head?"

"That situation is salvageable, if you're willing to do what it would take." Samuels said.

"What's that?" Waleen asked.

"Destroy their hives on the ground, knowing that there are innocent humans onboard." Pharris said quietly. She looked over at Tammy. "I will not sleep tonight, Lady Tammy."

"Many of us won't." Carter said, standing up. "We need a break. Too many ideas, too much information. It starts to get overwhelming after a while."

She turned to the Travelers. "Waleen, you, Arrin and Larrin can stay if you like. We can have someone show you around the city, or you can return home, and come back another day. There will be many opportunities in the days to come. But I'd like Pharris to stay. We'd like her to be your emissary to our city."

"Sam, I don't think we shou..."

"That is acceptable, Samantha." Arrin said. "We have faith in Pharris to represent our peoples interests, as she has so well through the years. Sadly, none of the emissaries I would choose are available, so we will trust Dr. Samuels judgment."

"Thank you Arrin. As our partner, Pharris will be involved in everything we do, and will be free to share with you. How you deal with our emissary will be up to you." Tammy said, stepping up beside Sam.

"As much as I would like to see more of your city, I should return home." Waleen said. "My wife will be worried, and I have work I have been putting off."

"Me too." Larrin said. She turned to Sheppard. "We'll be in touch. We need to talk about our warships. I may even let you fly one, if you're nice."

"If I remember, I was nice the first time we met." Sheppard laughed. "You on the other hand..."

"Pharris, come home when you are ready." Arrin said, stepping over and embracing her. "We can arrange to have the personal items you wish to have with you sent to you here, and have your quarters sealed, for when you return to us."

"Thank you, Arrin. And thank you for listening." Pharris said, returning his embrace. "We are doing what is right for our people."

"I agree. But I also agree with Waleen. My wife will be worried. And she is not as forgiving his." Arrin laughed. "Now walk with us to the gate, we really should be going."

"We'll walk with you." Carter said as she led them toward the door. "John would you tell Ronin that we're going to the gateroom? Tell him to stay with the boys, we'll pick up a team when we get downstairs. Ask him to call ahead."

Interior-Living Room

1545 Hours

"That was interesting." Carter said as she stretched out on the couch, laying her head in Tammy's lap.

"I had a good time too." Tammy said, brushing the hair away from Sam's face. "That production room was kewl! I wonder what it's like in there when it's running. We'll probably need to get people ear plugs."

"I said it was interesting, not fun." Sam laughed, looking up at Tammy. She smiled over at Pharris. "I was really surprised when Arrin turned so suddenly. One moment, he was dead set against dealing with us, the next, he's all in. Is it real? Is he normally like that?"

"No, he's not, and I was more surprised than you." Pharris said, stretching out on the couch across from them. "But you can take his word, he won't go back on it. You made an impression, on all of us. We're not used to people being so open with us. That's going to take some getting used to."

"It's a newly acquired habit, and I like it." Sam told her. "I spent years with the SGC, not being able to tell anyone what I did for a living. We even had a cover story about what kind of work I did." She laughed, stretching her arms over her head. "I like this. I can tell people what I'm thinking, what I want to do, and if they believe me, and want to help, great. If they don't, I just go to the next person in line."

"You still have secrets, sweetie. Don't pretend you're Polly Pureheart." Tammy said. She looked over at Pharris. "There are lots of things we haven't told you. Some because they haven't come up, others because you don't need to know."

"Everyone has secrets." Pharris told her. "What surprised me, is how little you asked about us. You offered this and that, but asked very little about what we wanted."

"I was getting that from your answers and reactions." Carter told her. "We've also spent time talking with Teyla, so we know quite a bit about your people, your needs, and what you want to do. I decided that the best way to approach you was to lay out what I want to do as plainly as possible, and see if you wanted to come along for the ride."

"It proved to be effective." Pharris said.

Ronin came into the room with a boy under each arm, and turned down the hall toward the kitchen. "We're going up to the gym. Phinnar wants to learn how to fight." He said.

"I'm sorry we dumped them on you, Ronin. This just came up so suddenly." Tammy laughed.

"It's good practice for when I have sons." He said with a smile. "You haven't worked out today either."

"We'll do it later." Carter said. "But thanks for reminding us."

He nodded and disappeared down the hall.

"I didn't know he wanted kids." Sam said, looking up at Tammy.

"I think he may have found someone that changed his mind." Tammy said. "Let's hope so."

"He likes them, and Phinnar likes him." Pharris said. "He would not allow anyone but a friend to treat him so."